Cast-cutting device



y 2. 1956 R. D. SAYLORS 2,746,452

CAST-CUTTING DEVICE Filed March 16, 1955 INVENTOR. M RODGER D. SAYLORS"2,746,452 cAsr-currns onvrcn. Rodger 1). sa lar oincinnatgohioApplicationMarchlG," 1953, Serial No; 342,403

I 3 Claims.'(C l. 12'8--1) I y This invention relates to a device forcutting or severingsurgical casts and to a method. of forming andremovfing casts. 1

, It is commonpractice where a cast is to be removed, to

' cutithe cast-lengthwise thereof so that the castcan be removed. The"cutting of a cast with a conventional knifeor shears is a diflicultandunpleasant job because I of the hardness of the gauze-laminatedplaster of which casts are formed and because of the tendency of plasterto form powder. I a 1 An object of this invention is to provide a devicewhich severs a cast cleanly without causing dust and w' hout use ofsharp or fast moving instruments; T 1

A further object of this invention is to provide a methodof foiinin'g' acast aird're'rriovin'g the cast which permits quick, simple, anddanger-free removal of the cast.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a method in whicha.wir'e"i's"'disposed" in the cast and is drawn through the cast "toseverth'e cast so that the cast can bebroken openand removed.

' Are a t r is i v nt n t p dr d awire pulling device constructed toroll on a cast while drawing a wire through the cast so that the cast issevered by means of force applied directly to the cast.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method of formingandremoving a cast in which a tube is disposed in the cast when the cast isformed so that a wire can be threaded through the cast when the cast isto be removed.

From the following detailed description, and the accompanying drawing,the above and other objects and features of the invention will beapparent to those having ordinary skill in the art to which it pertains.

Figure 1 is a view in lengthwise section showing a cast in position on apatients arm, the cast having been par tially severed with the aid of acast-severing device COD: structed in accordance with an embodiment ofthis invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in section taken along a line II-II in Fig.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view,

partly in section showing a cast with a wire guiding tube in placetherein;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in side elevation showing the ratchet ofthe cast-severing device, the view being taken in the direction of thearrows IV-IV in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view looking in the direction of the arrowsV-V in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a viewin transverse section of another cast showing wireguiding tubes in place therein;

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of a device constructed in accordancewith another embodiment of this invention; and

Fig. 8 is .a view in section taken on line VIIIVIII in Fig. 7. p p Inthe following detailed description, and the drawing, like referencecharacters indicate like parts.

2,746,452 Patented May-22, 1956 In Figs. l-3 inclusive, a-cast 10 isshown in place on an arm 12 of a patient. As shown in Fig. 3, a padding13 or the'like, covers the arm of a patientand the cast'is built on topof the padding. A split tube 14 is placed on top of the padding beforethe cast is formed. As shown in Fig. 3, the split tube is held in placewith the split 15 thereof away from the arm by narrow pieces 16ofpressure-sensitive adhesive tape. The tube 14 is formed of the vinylresin commercially known as Vinylite or similar material. Then the castis formed over the tube and padding. 1

When it is time to remove the cast, a length of piano wire 17 isthreaded through tube 14. One end of the wire 17 isattached to a clip18. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the clip 18 is of channel shape and isprovided with an opening 19 in the Web thereof through which the wirepasses; The wire is attached to the clip 18, and one flange of the clip18 is wedged between padding 13 and the body of the cast 10 with theother flange of the clip 18 on top of the cast so that the clip 18firmly anchors one end of the wire to the cast. The tube 14 may then bewithdrawn from the cast. As shown, the tube is split in Figs. 1 and 2.The device 21 includes frame members 22 and 23 which are rigidly held inspaced parallel relation by connecting members 24. A handle 25 forho1ding and guiding the device is attached to frame member 23. Theframemembers 22 and 23 support a roller shaft 26 on which cast-engagingrolls 27 and 28 are mounted.

The rolls 27 and 28 are spaced from frame members 22 and 23,respectively, byspacers 28' and 28" so that the position of the rolls onshaft 26 remains constant. As shown in Fig. 2, the rolls 27 and 28 areseparated by a spacer 29 on which the Wire bears, as illustrated in Fig.1, and the distance between the rolls (see Fig. 2) is sufficient topermit the wire 17 to pass freely therebetween. As the wire is drawnbetween the rolls 27 and 28, the rolls ride on the cast and rollalongthe cast.

The frame members 22 and 23 further support a main gear shaft 31 onwhich a main spur gear .32 is mounted and on which the spur gearrotates. Spur gear 32 is provided with an elongated hub 33 having a wirereceiving opening 34 therethrough. The free end of the wire 17 isthreaded through opening 34 so that when the gear 32 is turned, the wireis drawn upwardly through the cast between rolls 27 and 28 and is Woundupon hub 33.

The spur gear 32 is turned by a pinion 36 mounted on a shaft 37. Theshaft37 is turned by'means of a handle 38. The head of the handle 38 maybe provided with a ratchet 39 as indicated in Fig. 4.

As indicated above, the tube 14 may be withdrawn before the wire isattached to the cast-severing device 21. However, I prefer to attach thewire to the device and draw the Wire taut before I withdraw the tube. Asthe tube is withdrawn, the tube pulls away from the wire, separating atthe split.

If desired, the wire 17 may be imbedded in the cast at the time the castis formed, in which event, it is unnecessary'to use a tube for threadingthe wire. However, when the tube is used for threading the wire, it ispossible to take X-ray pictures of the cast in which there is no line aswould appear in X-ray photographs taken with the wire in place.

The wire used in severing the cast is a strong stainless steel wire ofthe type commonly known as piano wire. The wire is drawn upwardlythrough the cast and severs both the plaster and gauze of the cast asthe wire is drawn therethrough. A wire having a diameter of 0.026 inchis satisfactory for this purpose.

When a cast 41 is of unusual thickness, as indicated in Fig. 6, the castmay be formed with two or more tubes 42 and 43 therein so that the castmay be severed in layers. When the cast 41 is to be removed, a wire 44is inserted through tube 42 and a second wire 46 is inserted through thetube 43. The tube 42 is then removed,

and wire 44 is drawn upwardly through the cast to sever the upperportion thereof. Then the lower tube 43 is removed and the lower wire 46is drawn through the cast to sever the remainder of the cast.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown another wire pulling device. The device ofFigs. 7 and 8 includes a gear 51 and a pinion 52 in mesh therewith. Thegear 51 and pinion 52 are mounted between frame members 53 and 54. Theshaft 56 of gear 51 projects through frame member 54 and carries a wirewindup roll 57. Roll '57 is provided with an opening 58 for receiving anend of wire 59.

A roll shaft 61 is supported by the frame members 53 and 54 below gear51. The shaft 61 projects through frame member 54 and supports rolls 62and'63. Shafts 56 and 61 are linked by a strut 66. The rolls 62 and 63are cast-engaging rolls and can ride on a cast in the same manner as therolls of the other device. The rolls are spaced from each other by awire-engaging spacer 67. The rolls are spaced from frame member 54 andfrom strut 66 by spacer washers 68 and 69,-respectively.

The gears 51 and 52 are turned by turning a handle 71. The roll 57 turnswith gear 51 and as the handle is turned, the wire is wrapped around aroll 57. When the wire has been wound on the roll 57, cotter pins 72 and73 can be removed from shafts 56 and 61, respectively, and the strut 66can be slipped off'the shafts, whereupon the wire on roll 57 can be slidoif the roll The devicesshown in the drawing and disclosed above aresubject to structural modification without departing from the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

l. A device for cutting a cast having a wire therein which comprises aframework,a pair of coaxial spaced rollers rotatably mounted on saidframework for rolling on the cast, a shaft rotatably mounted on saidframework spaced from the axis of the rollers, means on said shaft forattaching the wire to said shaft, and shaft turning means on the deviceconnected to said shaft for turning said shaft to draw .the wire throughthe cast and between the rollers to sever'tlie cast.

2. A device for cutting a cast having a wire therein, which comprises aframework, roller means rotatably mounted on saidframew'ork and disposedto roll on the cast, said roller means having an annular groove adjacentthe center thereof, a shaft rotatably mounted on said framework inspaced relation to the axis of the roller means, means on the shaft forattaching the wire thereto, and means on the device for turning saidshaft to thereby draw the wire through the cast and groove, whereby thecast is sheared by said wire and saidroller means.

3. A device for cutting a cast having a wire therein which comprises aframework, roller means rotatably mounted on said framework and disposedto roll on the cast, said roller means having' a groove adjacent thecenter thereof, a shaft rotatably mounted on said framework in spacedrelation to the axisof the roller means, a drum mounted on saidshaft andprojecting. cantilever fashion from the framework, means on the drum forattaching the wire thereto, and means on the device for turning saidshaft and saiddrum to thereby draw-the wire through the cast andgroove,whereby the cast is sheared by said wire and said rollermeans.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,967,888 Kearsley July 24, 1934 2,342,695 Rinaldy' Feb. 29, 1944FOREIGN PATENTS 72, 145 Austria July 25, 1916 888,595 Germany Sept. 3,1953

